Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The sponsors on the cars actually paid to be in the movie — reported to be up to $60 million.

That's pretty standard for movies. You want your product on screen and be identifiable you generally need to compensate the production in some way. If not, they may use your product because they make good props but cover up logos.
 


Apple's original film "F1: The Movie" has surpassed $500 million in global box office revenue, becoming the company's highest-grossing theatrical release to date and marking a significant milestone for Apple TV+.

Apple-TV-F1.jpeg

The film reached $509 million in ticket sales as of the final weekend in July, according to Comscore data reported by CNBC. F1 eclipses the previous record held by "Napoleon," Ridley Scott's 2023 historical epic, which grossed $221 million worldwide.

The film also significantly outperformed other Apple theatrical projects including "Killers of the Flower Moon" ($158 million), "Argylle" ($96 million), and "Fly Me to the Moon" ($42 million). F1's box office performance positions Apple to recoup its full investment through theatrical receipts alone.

The film crossed the $400 million threshold in mid-July. F1 was released in over 80 countries and reportedly maintained strong attendance during weekday screenings. With $509 million in earnings, F1 surpasses "Superman" at $502 million to become one of the most popular films of the summer.

After its theatrical run, F1: The Movie is expected to come to Apple TV+ later this year. Apple is also believed to have put in a winning bid to stream Formula 1 itself.

Article Link: Apple's 'F1: The Movie' Surpasses $500 Million Box Office Earnings

When you realize $500M in 2025 is about $385M in 2020 pre-covid inflation, and you think to yourself theater tickets are between 25 and 35 dollars today, these "record" announcements start to become more eye rolls than anything.

Advertising is quite expensive - on average 50-150M - especially for international release.

The production budget for this film was between $200-300M.

Meaning, this film has to gross approximately $600-700M to break even worldwide.

So......... congrats on your record breaking film. 👀
 
That's pretty standard for movies. You want your product on screen and be identifiable you generally need to compensate the production in some way. If not, they may use your product because they make good props but cover up logos.
The F1 cars have sponsor stickers all over them, not products. The $60 million from the sponsors is quite a bit more than standard movies get for product placement, and it reduces the budget to a point where the movie is likely beyond the break even point.
 
This is not a movie that will make you think deeply about your life choices. Also, it is not trying to accurately portray F1 life. It is entertaining, though.

One of very few recent movies I watched (I do not watch many) that had actually excellently mixed sound and some of cinematography was really cool. Many modern movies have absolutely garbage sound mixing and one cannot understand any speech from all the noise.

Totally do not regret watching; will watch it again when it streams. It was just a fun movie, I thought. Also, I do not consider myself in either Pro or Con Brad camp. His performance was adequate (if you want to see a phenomenal Brad Pitt, watch Snatch).
Watched Snatch. Didn’t understand more than a few words he spoke — and I’m Irish!
😎🇮🇪☘️
 
  • Like
Reactions: turbineseaplane
The F1 cars have sponsor stickers all over them, not products.

I was using products in a broader sense than just physical placement. F1has a lot of logos on display and cars are just one part. Pilot suits, track billboards and ground space, for example.
The $60 million from the sponsors is quite a bit more than standard movies get for product placement, and it reduces the budget to a point where the movie is likely beyond the break even point.

I doubt it will ever break even.
 
I wouldn't count marketing costs significantly into ensuring a movie being profitable (e.g. $100 million production + $100 million marketing = needs to make more than $200 million to be in profit).

This is Hollywood accounting: inflating marketing costs, as well as internal transactions, distribution fees and interest charges. Why? People won't get net profit participations that would be due to people such as actors, directors, writers, or investors.

There are examples of this that spring to mind: Return of The Jedi, Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix/Deathly Hallows Part 2, and Men In Black. Forrest Gump was known because the author said he barely got any royalties as the movie "didn't make a profit". People sued the studios of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Batman, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Spider-Man for lack of financial rewards.

Studios of F1, and many other movies, would be happy to say their movies are a hit, but they didn't make a profit
 
Last edited:
Jeez, there are some pretty miserable people here. Reading in-between the lines, it's the same "stick to making computers" mantra. Watch the flying toasters screensaver for 2 hours instead?

You could not be anymore wrong if you tried... Apple makes one of the best shows I've ever seen with Slow Horses..
 
  • Like
Reactions: jlc1978
Jeez, there are some pretty miserable people here. Reading in-between the lines, it's the same "stick to making computers" mantra. Watch the flying toasters screensaver for 2 hours instead?
They can barely ship anything right now, hardware and software are suffering at the expense of services being their new focus of a cash cow since they can’t keep up with AI, Software, or a new breakout product.

Those of us that know Apple well know they are not doing well.

Fundamentally, yes, I do believe they should stop trying to cosplay as the “everything” company, it’s destroying their credibility.


Google and Microsoft Security teams do almost more bug squashing and vulnerability reporting than Apple at this point.

I hope you realize everyone of intelligence and skill in their field is leaving or left Apple. The job market sucks right now, that should tell you all you need to know.
 
You could not be anymore wrong if you tried... Apple makes one of the best shows I've ever seen with Slow Horses..

Slow Horses is amazing. Apple has a number of really good shows, Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Friends and Neighbors come to mine. Stick was much better than I expected. I also enjoyed For All Mankind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pezimak
You could not be anymore wrong if you tried... Apple makes one of the best shows I've ever seen with Slow Horses..
I think you misunderstood my post. I completely agree about Slow Horses, and many other tv+ shows and movies. However, there are people on here that want the service to crash and burn because, apparently, that Mac software developer is too busy making costumes on Dickinson and The Buccaneers than improving that app they're supposed to be working on
 
Apple is probably glad now it didn’t go for its first inclination of a female lead in Brat Pitt’s role say Julia Roberts or Jennifer Aniston.
 
They can barely ship anything right now, hardware and software are suffering at the expense of services being their new focus of a cash cow since they can’t keep up with AI, Software, or a new breakout product.

Those of us that know Apple well know they are not doing well.

Fundamentally, yes, I do believe they should stop trying to cosplay as the “everything” company, it’s destroying their credibility.


Google and Microsoft Security teams do almost more bug squashing and vulnerability reporting than Apple at this point.

I hope you realize everyone of intelligence and skill in their field is leaving or left Apple. The job market sucks right now, that should tell you all you need to know.
I don't think its services are the problem. Apple are doing well with its hardware, despite these services being available. The problem is the lack of focus on the software. I cannot see why its other services did not impact its ability to improve hardware, but did impact on its software
 
He looks amazingly good considering he’s had no cosmetic surgery 🎉🎉🎉
 
I think you misunderstood my post. I completely agree about Slow Horses, and many other tv+ shows and movies. However, there are people on here that want the service to crash and burn because, apparently, that Mac software developer is too busy making costumes on Dickinson and The Buccaneers than improving that app they're supposed to be working on

Gotcha, yeah that is a bit.. odd.. pretty stupid thing to think really when you consider just how much revenue Apple has! In reality it spends peanuts on its streaming platform compared to Amazon or Netflix, yet it makes a wide variety of content for everyone and one thing I will dislike someone else will love and vice versa. Need to try and find the time to catch up with Foundation. Apples show do tend to have good production values, pretty high quality.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 211
Slow Horses is amazing. Apple has a number of really good shows, Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Friends and Neighbors come to mine. Stick was much better than I expected. I also enjoyed For All Mankind.

lol that’s another one I need to catch up on, For All Mankind. Really need to make an effort to watch these. My brother in law loves Ted Lasso, I did try it but couldn’t get into it myself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jlc1978
I think the public like predictable movies, maybe a little bit of the unknown but no huge surprises in a blockbuster.

In a way Superman (2025) was already rather cutting edge for a wannabe blockbuster.
 
So turns out creating an original story, with entertainment in mind, wihtout having to push an agenda, makes the movie successful... go figure... I hope Disney is watching this... 🤣
 
I haven't even watched it and knew it would be rubbish. I did see the new Superman film and that was excellent!

Was the new Superman good? When I saw him being all emotional in the trailer, it turned me off. Superman has always been calm and cool-headed. What I saw in the trailer doesn't seem to follow that... but I could be wrong in the full context of the movie.

I do think the draw for F1 will be the cinematography more than anything else. Pitt ain't no Cruise.
 
Exactly, Transformers: Age of Extinction made over a $Billion at the box office, but is widely regarded as being absolutely terrible. It has 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, and I think that might be a bit optimistic.

I don't think I was able to get through Age of Extinction before turning it off. Just felt off and trying too hard.
 
It costs 200-300 million to make? I cannot believe the cost of film production now. I remember when T2 came out and it was 100 million and people were freaking out, but you could see where the money went due to its quality, I don’t always see the bang for buck in some new shows.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.